Material application to fishing lures possessing temperature sensitive chromaticity vicissitude creating a color changing fishing lure or rubber bait

ABSTRACT

The process by which materials are applied to a plastic fishing lure surface, thus producing a lure that possesses chromatic vicissitude as a result of water temperature fluctuations. At the onset of this process, a non-thermochromatic base layer of one or more colours is applied to the plastic fishing lure. This layer acts as the visual appearance of the fishing lure in the absence of temperature fluctuations. Clear extender is then used as an additive to the thermochromatic ink. This addition to the ink then allows the ink to be sprayed onto the surface of the lure. This ink-extender amalgam can be applied in multiple layers however; the bottom layer must have the least amount of hue saturation. Each layer thereafter would increase in hue saturation. Multiple hue combinations can be utilized. Once the desired number of thermochromatic layers has been applied, an ultra clear super high gloss lacquer finish is sprayed on to the exterior of all layers.

This invention relates to the unique process by which a thermochromatic ink is applied the surface of a plastic fishing lure.

The employment of thermochromatic inks to produce colour changing effects has been previously utilized on fishing lures. These previous uses however, have employed the application to the entirety of the lure. The result of this previous application is blocks of colour. As it is commonly understood, fishing lures are designed with the purpose of resembling and moving like the prey of a fish. As the prey of fish never appears in nature as blocks of colour, this is problematic for the fisherman who is attempting to employ lures that have the maximum degree of authenticity.

This particular process however, enables application in a manner that produces a gradient effect in addition to the chromatic vicissitude; that is more like that seen in nature, ergo, more life-like. Thermochromatic inks cannot be sprayed onto to a surface without the addition of a thinning agent due to its thick viscosity. It would stand to reason then that a process that allows the ink to be sprayed on in a gradient pattern, versus a solid, achieves a more accurately realistic finish. This results in attaining the design objectives of a fishing lure with exactitude and realism.

DRAWING DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 (drawing below) shows an illustration of a standard fishing lure that will be spray coated with multiple layers of thermochromatic ink-extender amalgam and a single base layer of non-thermochromatic coating. Although standard fishing lures come in various sizes, shapes, and hardness, they will be coated with similar gradient patterns and designs.

-   -   1) Label 1 shows the upper body of the top portion of the         fishing lure that will be coated with a thermochromatic         ink-extender amalgam in a gradient pattern. The gradient pattern         will start solid and will fade in opacity as the coating         traverses the body of the lure. The gradient effect will stop         halfway to two-thirds of the way down the body of the lure. The         gradient effect on the lure will consist of multiple layers of         thermochromatic ink-extender amalgam and one non-thermochromatic         layer of different colors. The layering of the gradient pattern         will allow the lure to possess color changing properties in         response to water temperature changes.     -   2) Further details will be added to the standard lure such as         eyes, mouth lines, gill lines, fins and scale markings, etc.         using non-thermochromatic ink for a more realistic effect. Using         these details on the lure, in addition to the color changing         gradient effect, will allow the lure to resemble actual prey to         predator fish.

FIG. 2 (drawing below) illustrates a cross section of the surface of a standard fishing lure coated with one base layer of non-thermochromatic ink and multiple layers of thermochromatic ink of different colors.

-   -   3) Label 3 shows a cross section of the bottom layer of the top         portion of a standard fishing. This layer will be coated with a         layer of non-thermochromatic ink and will be the base layer of         the fishing lure.     -   4) Label 4 shows a layer of thermochromatic ink-extender amalgam         on top of the base layer that will be transparent or solid         depending on the temperature of the water. If this ink-extender         amalgam layer is in the solid state then it will expose the base         non-thermochromatic layer. If this layer is in the transparent         state then it will cover the base non-thermochromatic layer.     -   5) Label 5 shows a layer of thermochromatic ink-extender amalgam         on top of another ink-extender amalgam layer that will be         transparent or solid dependant upon the temperature of the         water. If this amalgam layer is in the solid state, then it will         expose the underlying amalgam layer. If this layer is in the         transparent state, then it will cover the underlying amalgam         layer. Each thermochromatic-extender layer will react at a         different temperature then the previous or underlying         thermochromatic-extender layer. 

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
 1. A plastic fishing lure having materials applied to it in such a manner that result in temperature sensitive chromatic vicissitude and design required exactitude and realism.
 2. The fishing lure of claim 1 wherein a base or ‘primer’ layer of non-thermochromatic coating is applied to the plastic body of the fishing lure in preparation for the application and bonding of a thermochromatic ink layer.
 3. The thermochromatic ink of claim 2 is mixed with a clear extender resulting in an ink-extender amalgam.
 4. The ink-extender amalgam of claim 3 is then applied to the fishing lure of claim 1 in a sprayed on gradient on top of the bonding layer of claim
 2. This layer enables thermochromatic sensitivity to water temperature variations and provides the optic achievement of fish prey realism.
 5. The ink-extender amalgam of claim 3 is applied in one or more layers with the bottom layer being of least amount of hue saturation and each additional layer increasing with hue saturation. Each layer possessing a different temperature sensitivity.
 6. Upon completion of the layers of claim 5, the fishing lure of claim 1 has a final layer of ultra clear super high gloss lacquer finish sprayed upon it. 